Improvement in spring-wagons



J. A. CHAPMAN.

l Improve/ment n Spring-Wagons.

No. 132,441; l Patented oct. 22,1872L v A M. PHON-LITHUGRPfl/ Ca M X (W550/MES FRUCESS) UNrrED STATES j PATENT OFFICE.

' JOHN A. CHAPMAN, OF ROCHESTER, MINNESOTA.

IMPROVEMENT IN SPRING-WAGONS.

Speciication forming part of Letters Patent No. 132,441, dated October 22, 1872.

To all whom' it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN A. CHAPMAN, of Rochester, in the county of Olmsted and State of Minnesota, have invented certain Improvements in Spring-Wagons, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates to what are commonly known as buck-board77 wagons, and consists in constructing them with two sets of arched springs of different curvatures, having their ends secured rigidly to the same cross-bars, so that they counteract or oppose each other and produce a frame which is at once strong, light, and elastic. The invention also further consistsl in a yielding foot-board, to prevent the unpleasant jarring and jolting ordinarily experienced in this class of wagons, and in a detachable basket or body, all as hereinafter fully described.

Figures l andZ are side views of two different forms of my wagon-frame, the first having side springs of metal and the last of wood. Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the body with the wooden side springs.

In constructing my frame I provide a number of long, wooden slats, A, having their middle portions bowed upward, and secure their ends rigidly to two cross-bars, B, as shown, the Whole forming an ordinary buck-board, such as are now in common use. I next provide two arched side springs, C, and secure their ends also rigidly to the cross-bars B, as shown. These side springs I make much higher at the middle than the slats A, and upon them I mount the seat D, as shown. Across the middle of the slats or springs A I secure firmly two bars, E, and then connect theends of said bars rigidly to the raised side springs C by means of rods F, as shown, so that when the side springs are depressed the rods force the slats down also. The rods I provide with nuts, bearing against the upper and under sides of the cross-bars, as shown, so that by adjusting the nuts any desired tension may be applied to the springs. As the' side springs and the slat springs are rigidly connected by the rods, the weight received upon the seat depresses them both at the middle to the same extent. As they are depressed their opposite ends are of course pushed outward, so that they tend to force the two cross-bars apart.

If, now, the two sets of springs were of the same length andcurvature, their ends would move alike, and there would be nothing but their stiffness to prevent the seat from going down; but as they differ in curvature the ends of the raised side springs C move faster than the ends of the slats A, and the consequence is, th at while the side springs are tending to force the cross-bars outward, the slats, whose ends do not move so fast, are holding the cross-bars and resisting the force of the side springs; Thus it will be seen the two sets of springs resist kor counteract each other, the

tendency being on one hand to compress the' side springs endwise, and on the other hand to straighten out the slat springs by pushing their two ends apart. By thus arranging the springs so that the downward pressure is convertedl into an endwise strain upon them, I produce a frame which, while it is very strong and iiexible, permits extremely light and neat springs to be used. By adjusting the` nuts the tension of the springs may be varied so as to give the frame any desired degree of flexibility under any given weight.

I am aware that it is not new to use the seat, their only purpose being in fact to give the seat the required elevation.

In orderto prevent the disagreeable jolting which would be experienced if the drivers feet were allowed to rest on the slats while the seat is moving up and down, I provide ayielding foot-board, H, as shown. When the foot-board is to be used on a frame having metal side springs, I prefer to support its forward end on said springs and its rear end by straps or stirrups from the seat, as shown in Fig. l 5 but when the frame has wooden side l springs the foot-board is best supported by springs secured t the slats, as shown in Fig. 2. It is obvious that there are many other ways in which the foot-board may be arranged, as the onlyrequisite is that it shall have a yielding motion independent of the slats, so

as not to be affected by their vibrations. In order to render the Wagon more serviceable and convenient for sportsmen and travelers, by Whom this class of vehicles is principally used, I provide the seat with a watertight box or locker, I, having its door on its top so as to be covered and protected by the cushion of the seat, and to the back of the seat-hook a large body orrbasket, L, to contain the dogs, game, or supplies. This body or basket I construct by taking a light skeleton frame and covering it with canvas or leather, and then providing it with hooks or other devices for securing it in place behind the seat. The basket or body thus provided is light, strong, and oommodious, and is readily attached and de taohed, as required. In order to prevent the seat from tipping down at one end when there is but one occupant, and he sits upon the end, the outside slats are made heavier and stronger than those next inside, and so on toward the center, each slat being lighter than the one next outside of it. By this arrangement the seat is maintained in nearly a horizontal position although a heavy Weight may be applied upon one end and none upon the other.

In constructing my frame it is obvious the rods and cross-bars may be omitted Without changing the operation of the springs; but, as by means of the rods the stiiness of the frame may be regulated, as desired, it is considered best to use them.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim is- 1. The spring-Wagon frame, consisting of the arched springs A and C of different curvatures, both having their ends rigidly secured to the same cross-bars B, as shown and described.

2. In combination with a frame substantial- V 

